Wayne Byers Show – Evening – May 7

CSi Weather…

TONIGHT…Clear. Lows in the upper 20s. North winds 5 to 15 mph.

.FRIDAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of rain showers and snow showers after midnight. Lows in the lower 30s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny. Rain showers possibly mixed with snow

showers in the morning, then chance of rain showers in the

afternoon. Highs in the upper 40s. East winds 10 to 15 mph.

Chance of precipitation 60 percent in the Jamestown area, 50 percent in the Valley City area.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain

showers possibly mixed with snow showers in the evening, then

partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the upper 20s.

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 40s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s.

.MONDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 40s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 20s.

.TUESDAY…Increasing clouds. Highs in the lower 50s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of rain

showers after midnight. Lows in the upper 30s.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain

showers. Highs in the mid 50s.

 

Bismarck  (NDDoH)   The North Dakota Department of Health, Thursday

At 11:03 a.m., released the Coronavirus Stats.

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED THURSDAY

• Benson County – 2
• Cass County – 23
• Grand Forks County – 4
• McKenzie County – 2
• Pembina County – 1
• Pierce County – 1
• Ramsey County – 2
• Richland County – 1
• Rolette County – 1
• Sargent County – 1
• Stark County – 3
• Traill County – 1
• Walsh  County – 1
• Ward County – 1
• Williams County – 5

 

BY THE NUMBERS

40,867 – Total Tested (+2,235 individuals from yesterday)

39,496 – Total Negative (+2,187 individuals from yesterday)

1,371 – Total Positive (+49 individuals from yesterday)

Please note that after investigation it was determined that a previously reported case from Mountrail County was from out of state.

2.1% – Daily Positive Rate of Completed Tests

102 – Total Hospitalized (+5 individuals from yesterday)

35 – Currently Hospitalized (+3 individuals from yesterday)

601 – Total Recovered (+19 individuals from yesterday)

31 – Total Deaths (+0 individual from yesterday)

Jamestown  (JPS)  Jamestown Public Schools is pleased to announce that Jamestown High School will be holding a graduation ceremony on May 24, 2020.  This was made possible based upon guidance from Governor Doug Burgum and the recent receipt of the ND Smart Restart High School Graduation Ceremony Guidance from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

While accommodations will include limits on guests, the event will be livecast to ensure that all people interested in supporting the Class of 2020 in this capstone achievement will be able to do so.

Specific guidelines will be sent out directly to graduates and families and will be posted on the school district’s website after consultation with Central Valley Health, emergency services, and city officials.

Valley City  (CSi)  The release at Bald Hill Dam in Valley City was ramped up to 2200 cfs, due to this week’s rainfall, of between an inch and an inch and a half.

The additional moisture has stepped up the runoff into Lake Ashtabula where the level jumped two feet after the rain and runoff, at 1266.57 feet, about a half foot above the conservation pool for the summer.

Flood updates and water level updates  for the …

Sheyenne River Level Through Valley City

Lake Ashtabula Level

James River level through Jamestown.

Jamestown Dam

National Weather Service 

Water amounts in the snow pack

The Latest Flood Warnings from The National Weather Service

https://ndresponse.gov/flood-region

Fire Danger Map for North Dakota

Jamestown  (CSi) 5-7-20  The Jamestown Police Department warns residents of a convicted sex offender who has relocated in Jamestown.

Leroy John Hanson now lives at 117 1st Street West, Number 2, Jamestown, ND

Hanson is a 56 year old White Male five feet seven inches tall weighing 210 pounds with blue eyes and red hair.

He has been assigned a high risk assessment by the North Dakota risk level committee of the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office.

Offense:  Gross Sexual Imposition,  in 2004 involving  with a 14 year old girl.

Conviction: April 2004, Ward County District Court.

Disposition:  10 years with 5 years suspended.

He is currently on GPS Monitoring.

Hanson is not currently wanted by police and has served the sentence imposed by the court. This and other notifications are meant for public safety and not to increase fear in the community. Anyone who uses the information to threaten, assault, and intimidate the offender will be turned over for prosecution.

Hanson is currently on probation with North Dakota Parole and Probation.

More information on registered sex offenders is available at the North Dakota Attorney General’s web site: www.sexoffender.nd.gov

Jamestown  (uj.edu)   Sharon Cox, MFA, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Art, will retire after 28 years of service to University of Jamestown.

Cox joined University of Jamestown in the fall of 1992 to teach art and journalism after teaching previously at Lynchburg College in Virginia, Jackson State University in Mississippi, and Mercer University in Georgia.

Provost, Dr. Paul Olson says, “Summarizing Sharon’s career and time in Jamestown is a monumental task.  She has taught innumerable art courses, put on countless art shows, painted everything from Dine and Bid backdrops to the World’s Largest Buffalo, written “Art Voices” weekly for the Jamestown Sun since 1992—which she will continue to do—and been a champion for the 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse.”

Cox was named the Professor of the Year for 1997. “Most importantly,” Dr. Olson continued, “Sharon has been an advocate, counselor, and mentor for not only all of her art majors, but for dozens if not hundreds of UJ students and alumni.”

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown  (CSi)  As businesses across North Dakota begin reopening with Governor Burgum’s loosening of Covid-19 related restrictions, The Arts Center is in planning for a safe reopening June 1.

Arts Center Director, Mindi Schmitz  says, “Our primary concern is for the public’s safety and for our employees and their families. At this time The Arts Center is doing a deep cleaning of all surfaces within our two facilities. We’ve also completed a Spring cleanup of the Hansen Arts Park. We want to make sure we open our doors to the community as safely as possible June 1.”

 

The City Council approved the request from the Jamestown Fine Arts Association, Inc., d/b/a/ The Arts Center, for a street closing on 2nd St SW from 1st Ave to the alley, every Thursday in June, July and August from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, for the weekly Downtown Arts Market and request a waiver of the street closing fees. The approval is pending restrictions in place at that time concerning social distancing.

 

May 8 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Zoom session

Here is a unique way to document this crazy time… Explore the creative process of a daily sketchbook journal. Linda Roesch will guide you through the observation of the world around you with an artistic interpretation. You could think of this as Plein Air painting only inside… look out your window (since we can’t spend a lot of time outside at this time).  Considering what most catches your eye? What do you want to remember or reflect on at a later date? Focusing on creating a “whole composition,” and let’s not forget the background.

Linda will be using Zoom to conduct this safe and socially distanced session. *A beginners watercolor kit will be provided. Students will need sketchbook of choice (size does not matter) pencil, erasers, extra coloring supplies like crayons, colored pencil or markers.

 

Virtual Art Lessons with Linda Roesch

 

April 3 @ 8:00 am – May 30 @ 11:00 pm

While we are all confined to our homes and children are not able to go to school or Arts After School… Our artist in residence, Linda Roesch, has put several of her art lessons on streaming video for easy access. These lessons are free and can be watched whenever you like.

 

 

April 27 @ 3:00 pm – May 27 @ 4:00 pm

Virtual Setting

With everything shut down, we are bringing kids the opportunity to join Linda Roesch for some creative fun! Linda will be several virtual art classes designed for learning from home on Zoom.

• One hour lessons from 3:00 – 4:00 pm
  •    Designed for students in grades 3, 4, 5 & 6
  •    Safe, social distance learning using Zoom
  •    Just $5 per session
  •    Pre-registration is required

April 27 & 29: Watercolor Monsters
Students will be creating their own unique monsters using wet into wet watercolor techniques. First sketching out the design… thinking about features monsters have (bulging eyes, tail, scales, fur, spots, wings, horn, etc.)—They are easy to draw, so there are no mistakes! Linda will guide students through the painting process. Then how to use crayon, colored pencil, market, oil pastels (whatever you have available) to add additional details over the dried watercolor painting. *A beginners watercolor kit will be provided. Students will need a tray or cookie sheet, pencil, erasers, extra coloring supplies like crayons, colored pencil or markers.

May 4 & 6: Daily Sketchbook Journaling
Explore the creative process of a daily sketchbook journal… learn to observe the world around you with an artistic interpretation. What catches your eye? What do you want to remember later? Focus on creating a “whole composition,” and don’t forget the background. Then share completed works with the class.

May 11, 13 & 15: Stop Motion Animation
Learn the techniques needed to create your own animated short film. Then move on to filming and presentation of your film. Linda will guide the class through the writing of their script, designing and building their film set, camera use, lighting techniques and setting the scene. The class will conclude with the viewing and critique of the films. *Students need to have a smart phone, digital camera or tablet for this course.

May 18, 20 & 22: Found Objects Creations
Explore the wonder of 3D worlds!  Linda will demonstrate how to construct a miniature habitat using various found and recycled objects. Then we will start building together. Learn about the famous architect Gaudi, then construct your own buildings. Explore the concept of an Earthship, discuss challenges and sketch an interior and exterior.  * Students will need small toys or trinkets, dirt, rocks, sand, flour, aquarium rocks, small recycled bottles or containers (make-up caps, essential oil bottles, medicine bottles, etc) paper, cardboard…. anything they can cut, paint or reuse for making their scene; and a hot glue and glue gun (at least 3 clear plastic bottles 20oz or 1.5L size).

May 25 & 27: Plein Air Painting (at a socially safe distance)
Enjoy the warmer weather and capture what you see in front of you. Plan to meet in the Hansen Arts Park (if weather allows) and paint while keeping a safe social distance from others. Learn techniques for quick outdoor painting and what makes a good composition. Study the details like line, color, shape and think about making your scene interesting for the viewer. * Students will need pencil, erasers, extra coloring supplies like crayons, colored pencil or markers. If weather does not allow for outdoor painting, Linda will do a Zoom lesson and students should have a phone or tablet available for this option.

 

May 14 @ 6:30 pm – May 21 @ 8:00 pm

At Hansen Arts Studio

Wood carving with the local Woodchippers…  Experienced carvers and curious beginners are all welcome to drop in a get carving. The more experienced members of the Woodchippers group will help get beginners started. The group meets every Thursday evening, except Holiday weeks. This is a free activity and open to all skill levels..

Buffalo City Photography Club

The local band of photo enthusiasts will be meeting the third Tuesday of each month 6:30 pm at the Hansen Arts Studio. Topics are focused primarily for DSLR camera users. Beginners and experts alike are both welcome. The club features a different speaker each month to help develop your photography skills. This workshop is free.

May 29 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Hansen Arts Park 122 1st Avenue S
Jamestown, ND 58401 United States

Enjoy the warmer weather and capture what you see in front of you. Plan to meet in the Hansen Arts Park (if weather allows) and paint while keeping a safe social distance from others.

Learn techniques for quick outdoor painting and what makes a good composition. Study the details like line, color, shape and think about making your scene interesting for the viewer. * A beginners watercolor kit will be provided. If weather does not allow for outdoor painting, Linda will do a Zoom lesson and students should have a phone or tablet available for this option.

Bismarck  – Gov. Doug Burgum released the following statement Thursday after Great River Energy (GRE), a not-for-profit wholesale electric power cooperative providing power in Minnesota and Wisconsin, announced plans to retire its 1,151-megawatt (MW) coal generating power plant, Coal Creek Station, in Underwood, N.D., during the second half of 2022.

“While this news is disappointing, Lt. Gov. Sanford and I are more determined than ever to find a path forward for Coal Creek Station that preserves high-paying jobs and keeps North Dakota’s most efficient and updated coal-fired plant on the grid to ensure baseload power capacity for our state and the region,” Burgum said. “We remain committed to bringing stakeholders to the table to evaluate all options and find opportunity in this uncertainty. We appreciate GRE’s 40-year history of positive economic impact on the energy and agriculture industries in North Dakota and look forward to collaborative opportunities in the future.”

 

Coal Creek Station has been in operation since 1979 and has 260 employees. GRE announced that the reduced power generation will be replaced with 1,100 MW of wind energy purchases by the end of 2023, 600 MW of which have been approved for wind projects, mostly located in Minnesota.

 

The Governor’s Office has been actively engaged in conversations with GRE to transfer or sell Coal Creek Station to third party operators. In a press release Thursday, GRE expressed its willingness to consider opportunities to sell the plant prior to the planned retirement in the second half of 2022.

 

J.C. Butler, CEO of North American Coal, the operator of the Falkirk Mine near Underwood, ND, which is the lignite supplier to Coal Creek Station, issued a statement Thursday stating that North American Coal is actively engaged in the exploration of options to allow for the transfer of the plant to one or more third parties, which would preserve jobs at both Coal Creek Station and the Falkirk Mine, which employs 480 people.

 

The State of North Dakota has been an active public partner with private lignite industry partners, by supporting lignite research and clean coal technologies over the years, contributing $30 million from the Lignite Research Fund since 2017 to lignite research projects with a total value of over $92 million, including value-added projects, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and rare earth studies.

Great River Energy has announced that it would convert its Spiritwood Station plant at the Energy Park from lignite coal to natural gas.

FARGO, N.D. (KFGO-AM) — Police say a man armed with a machete during an attempted robbery of a Fargo smoke shop fought with an employee and punched an officer in the face. Authorities say police were called to multiple reports of a disturbance in the middle of a street about 7 p.m. Wednesday. KFGO reports the 20-year-old suspect attempted to rob Smoke 4 Less in Fargo and pulled out the machete when an employee confronted him. Police say the suspect fought with the employee and later punched an officer who responded to the scene. The man was arrested when other officers arrived.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Officials say they’ve identified several COVID-19 hot spots in and around Fargo, which is North Dakota’s biggest city and which has had more confirmed cases of the disease than any other community in the state. With the rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the Fargo area continuing to dwarf the rest of the state, Gov. Doug Burgum is calling on local representatives to help slow the spread. He has promised resources to help with testing and other measures he believes will keep people healthy _ and businesses open. Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney, a member of the newly created Red River Valley COVID-19 Task Force, said Thursday that he believes the city and county can “test our way out of this.”

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — A member of the military serving as one of President Donald Trump’s valets has tested positive for the coronavirus. The White House says Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have since tested negative for the virus and “remain in good health.” It marks the latest coronavirus scare for the president. It’s the first known instance where a person who has come in close proximity to the president has tested positive since several people present at his private Florida club were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March. The White House instituted safety protocols nearly two months ago to protect the nation’s political leaders, including frequent temperature checks

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has named five Republicans to the chamber’s new panel tracking federal coronavirus and economic relief. They include the second-ranking House GOP leader, Steve Scalise, and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, one of the most combative defenders of President Donald Trump in Congress. McCarthy’s appointments, along with some of the Democrats named by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, suggest that the panel could become a partisan battlefield as it monitors federal emergency spending. Democrats will control the new subcommittee by a 7-5 majority. Heading the panel will be the third-ranking House Democrat, Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The diplomat tapped to be the next Navy secretary says the U.S. Navy is in “rough waters” and suffering from leadership failures. He is telling a Senate committee that he will restore a culture of good order and discipline to the service. Kenneth J. Braithwaite is the current ambassador to Norway and a retired Navy rear admiral. He faced repeated questions about recent crises that have rocked the service. Those include the firing of an aircraft carrier captain who urged faster action to fight a coronavirus outbreak on his ship and the subsequent resignation of the acting secretary who fired him.

 

Stocks are climbing on Wall Street as reports suggested that even though the economy is still suffering severely, at least conditions aren’t worsening as quickly as they had been. The S&P 500 was up 1.7% in early afternoon trading on Thursday, and the Nasdaq was up 1.7% to eliminate the last of its losses for the year. Another 3.2 million U.S. workers applied for jobless benefits last week. It’s a shocking number, but it’s also the fifth straight week of decline since hitting a peak in late March. Several companies cited signs that the worst may be behind them in parts of their businesses.

 

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say firefighters in the Florida Panhandle are battling wildfires that have forced some 1,600 people to evacuate from their homes. Smoke from the fires caused officials to close a stretch of Interstate 10 in both directions Thursday. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said Thursday that the fire is an extremely dangerous and fast-moving situation. In Walton County, a 575-acre fire prompted about 500 people to evacuate. Authorities there say multiple structures were lost in the fire, which was 65% contained Thursday morning. Around 1,100 residents were asked to evacuate homes in neighboring Santa Rosa County.

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California restaurants have drafted a plan to guide the industry’s reopening. The recommendations obtained by The Associated Press envision a changed world within dining rooms. An industry built on face-to-face contact is seeking ways to safely conduct business and avoid spreading the coronavirus. The plan from the California Restaurant Association will be submitted to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday. It suggests servers wear masks, recommends eliminating buffets and salad bars, and calls for far more cleaning. Tables would be limited to no more than 10 people, but a proposal in an earlier draft to limit tables to family or household members was dropped from the final version.

 

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence says it is “beyond the pale” that the pastor of a Virginia church was issued a criminal citation for having 16 people at a Palm Sunday service that authorities claim violated the state’s coronavirus restrictions. The U.S. Department of Justice has sided with the Lighthouse Fellowship Church in Chincoteague in a lawsuit the church filed against Gov. Ralph Northam after its pastor was cited. Speaking on “The Brian Kilmeade Show″ on Fox News Radio on Wednesday, Pence said he agreed with the DOJ’s decision to support the church. Pence said even during a national emergency, every American enjoys the freedom of religion. The state is expected to file a legal brief in the lawsuit on Thursday.

 

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has removed jail as a punishment for violating his coronavirus restrictions. His new order Thursday follows outcry by conservatives over a Dallas salon owner who was jailed for refusing to keep her business closed. Abbott says his new order should free Shelley Luther, who was booked in the Dallas County jail this week for keeping her salon open in defiance of the governor’s restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The reversal reflects the increasing pressure Abbott is under to reboot the state’s economy at a much faster pace.